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Show Volume XXVIII Issue X The Ogden Valley News Page 11 June 15, 2021 Tony Grove Road Temporary Closure What To Do If You Encounter Logan, Utah - A temporary roads are scheduled to open July 1 for the holiclosure will be in effect June 1 day weekend. a Rattlesnake thru June 30 for the Tony Grove Visitors are encouraged to always have Rattlesnakes strike fear in the this by moving toward the person doing the and Lewis M. Turner campgrounds roads. The closure is necessary to allow for construction crews to conduct heavy maintenance activities on the roads. The purpose of the project is to repair and preserve the existing pavement surface. The alternate plans for recreation activities. “First come, first serve” camping sites may be found at Lodge, Bridger, and Wood Camp campground during the closure. Contact the Logan Ranger District office, 435-755-3620 for additional information. Campfires & Target Shooting with a Firearm Temporarily Banned on Utah Wildlife Management Areas Due to Wildfire Concerns Due to extreme drought and wildfire danger, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is temporarily banning campfires and recreational target shooting with a firearm on its 146 wildlife management areas (WMAs) across the state. Wildlife management areas help minimize and mitigate wildlife depredation on private property and are vital to providing important winter ranges and feeding grounds for many wildlife species, including big game. These lands are purchased and managed using the money generated by fishing and hunting license sales. Because wildfires can destroy essential wildlife habitat, this temporary ban will protect Utah’s wildlife management areas. “Significant resources go toward improving the habitat in these wildlife and waterfowl management areas to make them more beneficial for a variety of wildlife species, which is why these proactive, preventative measures are so important,” DWR Director Rory Reynolds said. “Protecting these resources from wildfire is crucial for wildlife and is a huge benefit for anglers, hunters and other wildlife enthusiasts who utilize these properties.” Effective immediately and until fire conditions improve, target shooting with firearms is not allowed on any WMAs, except for in the established shooting range areas on the following three WMAs: • Big Hollow WMA • Fillmore WMA • Hobble Creek WMA The temporary restriction only applies to target shooting with a firearm on the WMAs— legal possession of a firearm and hunting are not affected. Campfires of any kind, including portable fire pits, are not allowed on any of the WMAs HELIBASE cont. from page 1 801-625-5872. The UWCNF Ogden District Ranger is the responsible official. How to Comment and Timeframe - This 30-day comment period on the Proposed Action represents the only opportunity for the public to provide specific written comments on the project and thereby have standing to object. Persons who submit comments should include: (1) their name, address, and contact telephone number or e-mail address; (2) the name of the project on which they ae submitting comments; and (3) specific written comments regarding the project, along with supporting reasons that during the temporary ban. Fireworks and explosives are never allowed on any WMA in Utah. Gov. Spencer Cox issued three executive orders this year declaring a state of emergency due to drought conditions and issuing a ban on fireworks on state lands. As of June 9, there had been 330 wildfires across the state, 284 of which were human caused. The DWR’s temporary ban is being issued in an effort to decrease the risk of wildfires being started. “With the extreme dry conditions, any spark can start a fire,” DWR Habitat Section Chief Eric Edgley said. “With firearm target shooting, sparks from metal targets aren’t the only threat—a bullet or other projectile glancing off a rock is all it takes to cause a spark and a fire. Last year, two large wildfires on WMAs burned several hundred acres of wildlife habitat and were started by target shooting with firearms. Obviously, campfires and fireworks also create sparks that can cause wildfires.” DWR conservation officers will be enforcing the temporary restrictions at WMAs statewide. Visitors to the areas are encouraged to keep their eyes open and to report any campfires, fireworks or any firearm target shooting by calling the UTIP hotline at 1-800-662DEER (3336), submitting through the UTDWR Law Enforcement app or by texting 847411. The campfire and firearm target shooting restrictions are temporary and will be evaluated throughout the fire season. During the temporary restrictions on recreational firearm target shooting, Utahns still have several options available for target shooting. DWR has two public shooting ranges—Lee Kay and Cache Valley—and there are a variety of public and private indoor and outdoor shooting ranges throughout Utah. Find your nearest shooting range by visiting the DWR website. Statewide fire restriction information and wildfire prevention tips can be found on <Utahfireinfo.gov> the responsible official should consider when reaching a decision. Before including address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal information in a comment, be advised that your entire comment—including the personal information—may be made publicly available at any time as part of the project-documentation process. While you may request in your comment that your personal information be withheld from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Please note that a copy of the proposal’s environmental assessment can be viewed at <https://www.fs.usda.gov/nfs/11558/www/ nepa/115722_FSPLT3_5631932.pdf> hearts of some people, but they shouldn’t. Knowing a little about how these reptiles behave and doing a few simple things can go a long way in keeping you and the snakes safe. Five rattlesnake species live in Utah, the most common of which is the Great Basin rattlesnake. This is the time of year when Utah rattlesnakes are on the move, looking for water and rodents after emerging from their winter dens. Due to the drought conditions this year, Utahns may see more snakes in their yards or irrigated fields, searching for water. Snakes need water, but don’t need as much water as most mammals and birds. Rattlesnakes are most active during the summer at dawn and dusk. Snakes mainly eat rodents, birds, and other reptiles. Rocky, highelevation slopes are the places in Utah where you are most likely to encounter rattlesnakes; however, a rattlesnake’s camouflage helps it to blend into its surroundings, so you may pass by a rattlesnake and never know it. Rattlesnakes are protected under Utah law, making it illegal to harass or kill one. The only exception to this is if you are threatened and defending yourself; otherwise, it is a class B misdemeanor to kill a rattlesnake. They are an important part of Utah’s ecosystem and help keep the rodent population in check. You may see a rattlesnake while out camping or hiking this summer. However, snake bites are quite rare, and most people who are bitten by rattlesnakes are harassing or trying to illegally kill the snake. Like most animals, rattlesnakes fear humans and will do anything they can to avoid us. “However, that changes if a snake thinks it’s threatened and there’s no way to escape,” DWR Native Species Coordinator Drew Dittmer said. “In that case, the snake will often strike to protect itself. Just don’t approach it. Give it plenty of space and leave it alone. Respect the snake, and you will be safe. If you are bitten by a rattlesnake, seek immediate medical attention.” When you are out hiking, make sure to always watch the trail ahead of you, and to check carefully before stepping over rocks, reaching onto ledges, or sitting down on a rock or log. What To Do If You Encounter a Rattlesnake • Remain calm and do not panic. Stay at least 5 feet from the snake. Make sure to give it plenty of space. • Do not try to kill the snake. Doing so is illegal and greatly increases the chance the snake will bite you. • Do not throw anything at the snake, like rocks or sticks. Rattlesnakes may respond to throwing, rather than away from them. • Alert other people to the snake’s location. Advise them to use caution and to respect the snake. Keep children and pets away from the area. • Keep your dog on a leash when hiking or camping. Allowing your dog to roam around increases the chance the dog will find a snake and get bitten. • If you hear a rattle, don’t jump or panic. Try to locate where the sound is coming from before you react, so you don’t step closer to the snake or on top of it. Keeping rattlesnakes out of your yard Depending on where you live, you could find a snake in your yard. Aside from building a fence that rattlesnakes can’t penetrate, here are some other useful tips to help keep rattlesnakes out of your yard: • Reduce the number of places that provide snakes with shelter. Brush, wood, rock and junk piles are all things you should eliminate from your yard. • Control rodent populations. Bird feeders and water are two of the main items that draw rodents to yards, which in turn can attract snakes. • Avoid scaring away harmless snake species, such as gophersnakes. Having other snake species on or near your yard may deter rattlesnakes. Identifying a Rattlesnake - Gophersnakes (the most widespread and abundant snake species in Utah) are often mistaken for rattlesnakes because when alarmed, gophersnakes hiss and vibrate their tails. A rattlesnake’s tail is wide and blunt—and tipped with a rattle, of course—while a gophersnake’s tail is slender, pointed and lacks a rattle. Rattlesnakes also have broad, triangular-shaped heads, and vertical eye pupils, while non-venomous snakes in Utah have longer snouts and round pupils. If you can’t identify the snake from a distance, leave it alone and treat it as if it were venomous. You can get additional rattlesnake safety tips on the Wild Aware Utah website. Brenda Whitehead Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS #2089176 Your local mortgage expert NMLS #1104582 brenda@beamlending.com 801-558-0966 |